Circular-knitting machine.



E. E. KILBOURN. W SMITH & I. W. KILBOURN.

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CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE. APPLIGATION FILED APR.17,1911.

Patented Apr. 7, 1914;

2 SEEETSSHBET 1.

VV/Yl VESSES E. E. KILBOURN. W. E. SMITH & I, W. KILBOURN.

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APB.17. 1911.

1,692,571. Pat nted A9127, 191

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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pm n STATES FATE curios.

EDWARD 1:.- menu, WILLIAM E. SMITH, AND ISAAC w. mnounn, or new smmsw cx, new .mRsiiY, ASSIGNORS 'ro rumours: MANUFACTURING com PORATION, on NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY.

Specification of Letters iatent. Patented '7, v

Original application filed March 29,1910, Serial 1T0. 550,784. Divided and this application flled April 1 7 1911. Serial No. 621,647.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDWARD E. KIL- BOURN, VILLIAM E. SMITH, and ISAAC W. KILBOURN, citizens of the United States, residing at New Brunswick, in the county of Middlesex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Circular-Knitting Machines; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our present invention is an improvement 1 5 in knitting machines in which movable sinkers or web holders are employed and more particularly that class of knitting machines in which two knitting cams are employed to actuate the needles and have combined therewith a narrowing and widening mechanism, after the manner of the Patents Nos..669,730 and 679,281 to E. E. Kilbourn, the said invention being shown and described in our application No. 550,784 filed March 29, 1910, and divided therefrom b requirement of the Patent Office. In the accompanying drawings we have shown the best form in which we have contemplated embodying our invention and said invention is disclosedin' the following description and claims.

In the said drawings, Figure 1 is a trans verse vertical section ofthe cylinder and connected pants of a. knitting machine emsc bodying our present invention. Fig. 2 is a view of the under side of the sinker or web holder cam ring, and Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the same. Figs. 4 and 5 are views of the sinkers or web holders used to in. the machine. Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the sinker shown in Fig. 5.

. In these figures of the drawings, A is the .needle cylinder, A is the movable or adjus'table nosing, B is the upper campylinder and B." is the lower cam cylinder.

C-is'th'e sinker or weoholder bed. I) isft'he sinker or web holder cam ring.

Thiscam'ringis actuated by the arm D" secured to the upper cam cylinder B and exs'ogtending upward the said claim ring, see Fig.2. These lug's are eachprovided withth'readed bolts (1', a!

passing through threaded openingiiin lthe etween the two. lugs d, d.

said lugs, and each is provided with a jam nut d (Z to rigidly secure the bolts in ad- 56 justed position. These bolts and nuts provide for such adjustment as will secure an. amount of lost motion between the cam'cylinder B and the cam ring, if this is found desirable. i One of the objections to the employment of movable-web holders or sinker-s is that many or most of such machines will not set up or begin a web, and that on a fault occurring such as dropping a stitch, the fault will continue until the operator has detectedthe same and corrected it. Our improved construction of movable web holders or sinkers avoids these defects and with it we are enabled to at once begin knitting a web by simply introducing the yarnor threadginto the machine, and if a stitch be drop ed-or a like fault occur, the machine itseif will within a few courses, correct the fault and resume correct knittin 3 Our improved web liolder or sinker is shown in Figs. 4 and 5. In these figures, G is the main horizontal bod of the sinker and g the vertical portion. i h'e main body is provided with the upwardly extending nib that engages the groove in thecam ring by which the 'sinkers are moved. The inner end of the main body is provi'ded with the usual recess 9'' to engage airing to hold it from rising. The lower part (9110f the inner 5 A edge of thegvertical portidn g at is to say, the edge nearer. the 'center'ofthe needle cylinder) is so located that tlie outward movement of the sinker by to cam ring will never move this pdrtionof the inner edge quite to the circle of the exterior of the needlesgin. the needle, cylinder, or in other words,'iiot quite to the outer side of thence dles between which it is "located. This in.- ner edge of the vertical portion-of the sinker extends upward a short. distance a straight or. vertical line as, at g, and t on inclines or curves outwardly and 11 mar 1y 'as at 9 until it meets the Inner en( of the lower edge 9 of the hook of the sinker, thus forming an acute angular recess beneath the hook The lower e e g at the *hook ex tends, inwardly towar the center of the neodle ydinder a short distance beycgnd the ver V ticalpla'ne of the lower portion 9 ofthe said 105 inne'r edge when it meets the upper curved edge 9 of the hook which extends therefrom to the upper end of the exterior edge 9*, of the vertical portion 9. In starting a web the thread or yarn is laid by the thread that the thread then occupies the recesses below the hooks, thus permitting it to adjust itself as the hooks of succeeding needles draw down other portions. of the thread. When the sinkers reach their extreme inward position, the book of the needle adjacent thereto will be well down and a slight strain. is put on the thread by the vertical portions 9 of the sinkers, which press the thread against the outer face of the needles, but the strain is not suflicient to prevent the thread from -yielding longitudinally as further loops are drawn down progressively. The needles in the usual manner then rise to their normal height leaving the first course of thread below the hooks of the sinkers. As the needles take the next course of the thread and descend to cast ofi' the thread of the previous course, the thread of the previous course beneath the hooks of the sinkers is carried down between the outer faces of the needles and the vertical portions 9 of the sinkers are pressed inward and draw it'more tightly against the needles.

When the hooks of the needles pass below the thread of the revious course the clasticity of the threa and the tension thereon caused by its engagement with the portions ofthe adjacent sinkers cause it to draw inward toward the center of the needle cyl inder and over the top of the needle which has just passed below it. The needle then rises throu h the loop of the next course just forme whichv remains in the recesses of adjacent sinkers, while the needles rise to their highest position. The further operation of the machinein like manner forms another series of loops with the next course of the thread and the work is set up or be- .In' the foregoing'speoification and in the following claims we have used the terms inward and outward .respectively as meaning in a direction toward and a direction from the center of the needle cylinder, and we have used the expression inner edge and outer edge in referring to the v'erticalportions of the sinkers as indicating respectively the edge nearer the center of the needle cylinder and the cd 'e more remote from the same. Should a stitch be dropped or other fault occur, the same'operation is repeated on a small scale and correct Imitting is resumed.

In the class of circular knitting machines in which two cam cylinders are employed to actuate the needles in knitting, one actuating about one-half of the needles and the 0t ier actuating the other part thereof, when knitting the heel and toe pockets one cam is rendered inoperative and the needles engaged thereby remain stationary. This cam when thus at rest is approximately at the center of its series of needles. In this position a portion of the needles are in engagement With this cam. t Those in engagement with stationary below the normal position of the needles. A part of such needles whose nibs are engaged by the lower part of the dc-- pressor cam grade have descended to a point where the latches of the needles have closed upon the newly engaged threadand the loops of the previous course through which they extend have been more or less distended by theincrease of width of the neodles and by reason of the fact that some of the loops extend around the closed latches of the needles. 7 A further part of the needles whose nibs are in engagement with the riser cam have been raised to a position in which the newly formed loops engage the widened part of the needle at and above the pivoted point of the latch, or extend around the opened latch and needle. When the loops.

are in any of these positions the reciproca- 100 tion of the web holders associated with these needles is frequently injurious to loops of' the web upon the same. This effect is avoided by us by the following features of construction. Y We form the outer wall of the cam groove of the sinker actuating cam ring, with a notch at the lower edge of the same giving such groove a greater width at the bottom than at the top and the siukers or web holders associated with the needles above specified are provided with a shorter nib, permitting them to more a greater distance outward from the needles than the others. The cam for moving the web holders inward engages all of them, both those with the long. and those with the short nibs, and moves them inward to the same point, and the cam for moving the web holders outward also. enga es the nibs of all of them and moves all 0 the web holders outward the same distance. Those with the shorter nibs by reason of the strain ut on them by the yarn will move outward as far as the cam groove will permit, or until their nibs engage the outer wall of the wider part of the cam groove. These features are most clearly shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4t and 5. In the two latter figures D is the cam' for moving the web holder's outward and l) is the cam for the depressor and riser cam grades are held moving them inward. The cam groove is shown at e, and e indicates the widened lower portion of the same.

The-web: holders associated with the needles in theposition described are shown in Fig. 5 with the short nib e while those coacting with the remainder of the needles, are provided with'the longer nib e. The web holders having the shorter nib e are normally in their most outward position; When knitting circular work the outwardly moving cam D first comes inconta'ct with the nibs. The web holders are not materially afl'eetedthereby, as they are substantially in the. position to which they would be moved by this cam. The inwardly moving cam D soonafter engages the nibs of the web holders and moves all of them inward to force the thread to the position desired while the needles are casting off and during their initial rising movement. When released by this cam, they return to their most outward position, the web holders having the shorter nibs moving outwardly farther than the others. 7

When reciprocating knittin is begun the first movement of the cam cylinder and cam ring is in the op osite direction 'to their movement when kn tting circular work. On

be moved affect those having ,the shorter nibs as they as far outward as they would the same. The further movement of the cam will press the web holders inward for an instant of time.

are already reciprocatory movement of the cam will repeat these movements. Should the cam cylantler move so far in itsreciprocatory movementsias'to' cause the cams D and D to pass these web holders'twice, they will act upon there. in the 1nanner described, the action on the movement'in one direction reversing the order of engagement with the webholders 'on'the other.. It will thus be seen, that the loops upon the needles designated willbe free from pressure or strain during nearly the entire' eriod of 'each reciprocatory movement. ere it not for this construction there would be a constant pressure or strain on the" loops on the needles designated nearly all of the time during narrowing and widening, and this would result in the permanent enlargement, or possibly the weakening of such loop. This The nextder knitting machine, our construction can be used with other forms of knittingina chines if found desirable.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is V ,1. In a circular-stocking knitting machine, the combination with two cam cylinders for actuating all of the needles of the.

machine, each cam cylinder operating a con tinuous portion of the needles, one of said cams being stationary during a part'of the operation of the machine, and movable web holders, the web holders asseciatedwith the needles engaging the riser cam grade of the r actuating cam of the stationary cam cylinder when the same is at rest extending outward beyond the other web holders.

2. In a circular stocking knitting machine, the combination with two cam cylin 1 ders for actuating the needles, each cam operating a continuous series of needles and one beingstationary during a part of'the jl operation of the machine, of movable wet-v holders, a cam ring for operating them, the cam groove of said cam ringvarying in depth and width, said web holders being provided with nibs of different lengths to engage both parts of the cam groove.

3. In a circular stocking knitting machine,

.the combination with the needle cylinder,

and needles, and means for actuating the needles, of movable web holders, and actuating means therefor, constructed to permit.

certain of said web holders associated with those needles which remain at rest during the formation of the heel and toe pockets to move outwardly to a greater extent than the otherweb holders, to relieve'the thread on the adjacent needles from strain.

4. In a circular stocking knitting machine, the-combination with the needle cylinder, the needles, and the actuating means therefor, of movable web holders, and. actuating means therefor including a cam ring, said ring having provision for ermitting certain of said web holders associated with the needles which remain stationary during reciprocating work, to move outwardly to a greater extent than the other web holders, to relieve the thread from strain.

5. In a circular stocking knitting machine, the combination with a needle cylinder, the needles, and actuating means therefor, of movable web holders, the nibs of certain of t e saidi'web holders 'rovided with nibs,

being of less length than those of the other web holders, and actuating means for said web holders including a camring provided with a cam groove, said groove having a portion for engaging the longer nibs of said web holders and a wider portion for engaging the shorter nibs of said web holders, said cam ring being provided with cams for en- ,ragingall eat-the nibs of said web holders in u m'o-vingthem inwardly and outwardly, whereby after the passage of the actuating cam the web holders having the shorter nibs are f: ee to move outwardly beyond the web holders having the longer nibs, to relieve the strain on the thread.

6. In a circular stocking knittin machine, the combination with the needle cylinder, the needles, and actuating means therefor, of movable web holders, provided with nibs, certain of said'web holders having shorter nibs than others, and operating means for said web holders including a cam ring rovided with a cam groove for engaging the longer nibs of said web holders, said groove havlng a recessed portion extending out- ,wardly beyond the main portion for engaging the shorter nibs of the web holders, said cam ring being provided with a cam for engaging all of said nibs and moving them outwardly and a cam for engaging 'all of said nibs and moving them inwardly, whereby the web holders having the shorter nibs are free to move outwardly beyond the other web holders when not in engagement with the inward moving cam.

- 7. I11 a circular stocking knitting machine, the combination with the needle cylinder, the needles, and two cam cylinders for actuating the same, one of said cam cylinders actuating a consecutive series of the needles and the other cam cylinder actuating the remaining needles of the series, means for actuating both of said cam cylinders during circular work and for actuating one of said cam cylinders during reciprocating work, of movable web holders provided with actuating nibs, certain of said web holders associated with the needles which remain stationary during reciprocating work being provided 'with shorter nibs than the remaining web holders, and an actuating cam ring for said iveb holders operatively connected with the cam cylinder for reciprocating work and provided with a cam groove for engaging the longer nibs of the web holders, said groove having an outwardly extending recessed portion for engaging the shorter nibs of the web holders and actuating cams for engaging all of the nibs of the web holders.

8. The herein described web holder for a circular knitting machine having a vertically disposed portion provided on its inner edge adjacent to its upper end with a hook, said inner edge below said hook comprising a lower substantially vertical portion, and an.

upper portion extending therefrom outwardly and upwardly to the inner end of the lower edge of the hook and formin therewith a thread receiving recess.

9. The herein described web holder for a circular knitting machine having a vertically disposed portion provided on its inner edge adjacent to its upper end with a hook, said inner edge below said hook comprising a lower substantially vertical portion, and an upper portionextending therefrom outwardly'and upwardly to the inner end of the lower edge of the hook and -formingther'ewith ,a thread receiving recess, the inner extremity of the hook portion extending toward the center of the needle cylinderbeyond the aforesaid vertically disposed pormovable web holders, said web holders being each provided with a vertically disposed portion the inner edge of which is provided with a hook, and the portion of said edge below said hook comprising a lower portion disposed substantially vertically and an upper portion extending from said vertically disposed portion outwardly and upwardly to the inner end of the lower edge of said hook, said web holdersbeing maintained at all times with said vertically disposedportion of said inner edge within the circle of the outer-faces of the, needles;

11. In a circular knitting machine, the combination -with the needle'cylinder, the needles, and actuating means therefor, of movable web holders, said web holders being each provided with a vertically disposed portion the inner edge of whichis provided with a hook, and the portion (rt-said edge below said hook comprising a lower portion disposed substantially vertically and anupper portion extending from said vertically disposed. portion outwardly and upwardly to the inner end of the lower edge of said hook, actuating means for said web holders constructed to hold said vertically disposed portion of saidinner edge at all times with in the circle of the outer faces of the needles, and thebuter end of the lower edge of the hook at all times outside of said circle.

In testimony whereof we ailix our signatures, in the presence of two witnesses;

EDWARD 1C. KILBO l; hNQ WILLIAM E. SMITH.

.,TSAAC w..1 'ILnoURu.

Witnesses; v i k i Jenn ERIOKSON,

Tn mnmua Yemen. 

